Century-old iconic farmstall outside Mbombela to make way for new shopping complex
The news recently broke that the iconic Farm Stall at Halls will now be demolished so that a new shopping complex may be constructed.
One of the most loved and well-known landmarks in the Lowveld might soon crumple under the tracks of bulldozers.
After being in existence for 105 years, The Farm Stall at Halls will now be demolished. This will happen to make way for a massive new shopping complex that is in the pipeline.
A social media storm erupted when this multi-million-rand project came to light.
The historical Farm Stall at Halls was opened with great fanfare in 1918, barely two decades after the farming giant, Halls and Sons, had started operating a subtropical farm in 1890.
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Over the years, the farmstall became a well-known stopover for tourists and locals alike.
“It was an absolute shock when we found that the whole complex, including the facade of the old farm stall, will be demolished,” Corné Lubbe, the farmstall manager, told Lowvelder.
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“Up until now we have been kept in the dark of exactly what the extent of new development will be.”
Lubbe says no official meeting was held with the tenants currently occupying the complex. These include the Shell Garage, the Fever Tree Nursery, Bicycle Boyz, the Roadhouse Griller and the All Tacked Up equestrian store.
“This development has the potential to financially destroy our smaller businesses,” says Lubbe.
The new development will cover the whole undeveloped area behind the current building right up to Matsafeni Road, which leads to the Mbombela Stadium. The only two sites it seems will not be affected by the development is the Mpumalanga Tourism and Park Agency (MTPA) and the Trac offices.
The new mall will have space for 38 stores and will include an anchor tenant (possibly one of the supermarket giants), Clicks, Mr Price, Pep Stores, a Build it hardware store, a butchery, African Bank, ATMs and a funeral parlour.
A parking area for around 610 vehicles, which will include a massive taxi rank with 96 parking bays, is planned.
Jenny du Plessis, part of the development team, says they are in meetings and can’t respond immediately.
Lowvelder will do a follow-up article in next week’s September 5 edition.
